Neon had turned into an inferno and people ran screaming and wailing in the streets. Soon the smoke was thick, for a breeze blew from the burning district towards the Dragon Tavern. Leaving the others behind, Riv searched the streets for the kid. Some minutes later the kid was still not found.

While shaking the young fatebringer, Brevil had been vaguely aware of the commotion happening in the background. The shots from both Ceres, Riv and Cancer echoed faintly above the hum of the little town, but he simply ignored them. The boy's answer was strangely familiar. The way the drugged fighter had mouthed "THEM" made Brevil realize exactly what he was doing.

God...No... Why, Why did I loose control like this again. Remember Her... Remember what happened...

Releasing his grip slowly and looking at his hands, he asked slowly: "You mean the spacers, don't you?".

Yes, He must.... What else could possibly drive me to attack him so... I can't quite believe I acted this way.

"Listen, Kiph, I'm...sorry...I get a bit... edgy whenever the spacers are mentioned. I can tell you straight away that I'm not one of them. I...I shouldn't have acted like that. Please just tell me what you remember. just tell me what you know and we'll never have to talk about it again. "

And then, just as the Black pick-up truck slid besides them, all hell broke loose.

Brevil barely had time to turn to the pickup's side and saw Riv bolting out the door. He then noticed Ceres, paler than usual, in the black car's seat.

"What the hell was that?" he shouted to her.

Logged

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."-Philip K. Dick

"A little mistake on our part, Brevil; and malevolence on someone else's part - gladly, fae allowed us to escape some fuel and a pickup richer, and leaving this town one monster in human skin poorer. If I only knew more... anyway, let us move - and look out for the kid we spoke to, just in case."

"Sorry to interrup your chat with Kiph, but I want you behind the other wheel, asap."

« Last Edit: November 07, 2007, 02:49:44 PM by EchoMirage »

Logged

"Captain, the buttocks are moving from the pink into the red and purple spectrum! We cannot maintain this rate of spanking any longer!"

Kiph was contemplating Brevil's words when he first noticed the fire erupting across through the streets of Neon, in the rear view mirror.

Seeing Ceres pull up in some black vehicle and having heard her quick exchange with Cornell, he sprung into action, which in this particular case, meant that Kiph quickly jumped behind the wheel.

No way in hell this Brevil bastard was going to take driving duties away from the Kiphster. No way! Kiph muttered to himself as he revved the engine and started the army truck.

Besides he thought, unaffected by the raging flames and occcasional 'booms' spreading across town, he needed time to think. Brevil had accomplished what few had before. He got Kiph to thinking, thinking hard.

Kiph hit the gas, and steered the unwieldly behemoth, which was for some reason, suddenly missing steering fluid, along the spreading chaos of Neon's streets, following Ceres' new mode of transportation, and humming some sing-song he himself did not recognize.

Next stop Bleakwood. In the meantime, Kiph kept his eyes peeled for some youngster, as per Ceres' instructions.

He managed to glance over at Brevil again. Soon, Kiph thought, there would be a reckoning.

Ah, how I have come to love that sense of accomplishment and victory that I get when I pull the wool over the eyes of a clever player character. What DM Triumphs have you had?

Some of mine:1. Finally killing an incredibly powerful, lucky, annoying player's character.2. Finally achieving a TPK (Total Party Kill)3. Finally achieving a TPK using only traps4. Finally working out how to make it so that d**n wizard doesn't steal the spotlight all the d**n time.

Underground CorridorThe dark figure carefully stepped across the floor, not making a single sound as he did so. The monsters' screaming had abated, though he still heard occasional sounds. Expert fingers flickered across the paper, drawing the dead G'Kraun with expert precision. A sudden noise made Ralkhara freeze; an entire minute passed before the cautious nomad moved again.

He delicately put the drawing into the bag, and focused on his mission.

This has better be worth it...

NeonTwo days later

A kid waded through the ashes when firm hands grabbed him by the shoulder, halting his advance.

"What do you want with me, sir?", the boy said, fear in his voice.

The Pastor crouched down, showing the boy some ammo, looking him in the eyes.

"Now, listen dear child, I need some info and I think you can help me with that. From the look of things, I think an old business associate of mine may have paid this place a visit"

Meanwhile, on the interstate"d**n, Ceres, I don't like the look of this. I don't like it at all!", Riv cursed, spitting on the floor as he finished speaking.

The pickup was in front, the army truck behind; Kiph and Brevil seeing the same thing as the pair in front.

Ceres looked left, then right. Everywhere she saw the same: The horizon was covered by them; men and women marching. From the look of them they were wastelanders, their skin burnt from the sun, longbows slung over their shoulders and spears carried like walking sticks.

In the WastelandThe fifth day after leaving NeonThe wreckage of the space craft was still burning as they drove past. Ceres looked at her geiger counter; the readings were off the charts, resulting in a hasted departure. They had seen it fall from the night sky the evening before, but up close they seriously doubted they would find anything of value, though they could never be sure. If anything, these spacers made excellent equipment.

As for what, or who, had shot down the craft, they could not know, but from the look of it this was a fighter space craft, and not anything like the huge transporter that had plowed through Bleak Wood a month earlier.

CampfireEvening before reaching Bleak Wood,Seventh day after leaving Neon

They had reached the highest peak of Blue Ridge, where the ancients had raised a tower that was no longer occupied. In the olden days, the first years after the war, it had been a bandit infested stronghold, but nowadays the radio tower rusted alone in its majestic glory, a navigational beacon for the wanderers from the desert.

The wind battered against the concrete walls, and created a piercing, wailing sound as the wind was channeled through the old radio outpost. Inside Riv had made a fire and sat transfixed, eyeing the flames.

Brevil was studying the loot, in particular the belt, bracelets and rings that Riv had plucked from the corpse of the man known as Cancer. "It is recharging... Must be some kind of recharging device, based on kinetic energy perhaps..." the scientist said, continuing his study.

Kiph laid on his back, flat down, as Ceres inspected his wounds once again, as she had the entire journey.

"Now, for my share, I want that shield device - it looks a d**n sight lighter then this plate I'm wearing. Can any of you use the guns?"Riv didn't look up as he spoke - he was rooting through the bag of ears, looking for names he recognized. Strangely enough, as he finished reading each nametag, he spoke a short prayer under his breath, and pitched the ear into the campfire..

"Oh, and I want enough of the ammo to buy some more shells should opportunity arise. And get this fixed..."

Brevil bent down, back towards the fire, and carefully looked over the strange devices. Unable to distinguish their origin in the darkness, he dared not draw too much attention to them. Perhaps they were Spacer technology... If they were... He'd do anything to get his hands on them.

Once the devices had been looked over, he walked back towards the fire, and sat down, his weary eyes resting on the flames, the orange shadows dancing on his pale face.

Slowly, carefully, his voice little more than a whisper, and his eyes still transfixed on the fire, he asked "What do you know of the G'Kraun?"

« Last Edit: November 14, 2007, 01:35:08 PM by dark_dragon »

Logged

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."-Philip K. Dick

"Mutants" Kiph answered non-chalantly in reply. "Freakish monsters. We fought some. Saved you rat-friend Jonathan's ass from their clutches too. Killed a few even, why do you ask?" the fatebringer mumbled in between bites of some unidentifiable, tough as leather, jerky. Kiph purposefully had stayed quiet around Cornell during the seemingly endless drive. He would not discuss the spacers, nor whatever else Brevil wanted to know. Not until he was ready. But the G'Kraun fascinated Kiph, and so he answered the mysterious man.

He was feeling better finally, healing, and was watching Riv now rifle through Cancer's belongings in the glow of the impromtu fire, as he answered Brevil. The fire-lover's tone was starting to annoy Kiph. Riv's "I want this, and I'll take that" routine was irritating Kiph more each passing second.

"Dont want no guns, dont need 'em. But I want that armor. You already got some, and I'm wounded." Kiph said evenly to Riv, looking him in the eye.

There were those in this forsaken world which even a lunatic like Kiph feared, spacers coming to mind immediately. Riv wasnt one of "those" however.

Ah, how I have come to love that sense of accomplishment and victory that I get when I pull the wool over the eyes of a clever player character. What DM Triumphs have you had?

Some of mine:1. Finally killing an incredibly powerful, lucky, annoying player's character.2. Finally achieving a TPK (Total Party Kill)3. Finally achieving a TPK using only traps4. Finally working out how to make it so that d**n wizard doesn't steal the spotlight all the d**n time.

"You want armor? You can have this stuff once I know the shield works." Riv said pointing to his heavy cheast plate.

"I Killed Cancer. I wrecked those punks. These items are all mine by right of conquest. I saved your friend Cere's life and ALL I'm asking out of my own loot is the d**n shield system. And enough ammo to cover my spent shotgun ammo. The rest, I don't give a crap about."

Riv watched the others carefully. He was a bit surprised at all this - where he came from, you kept what you killed.

<ooc - whats the big deal folks? Riv won this stuff fair and square, and this line of inquiry will just wreck what is a pretty good game...>

A crack-toothed grin stretched across Kiph's pock-marked face at Riv's animated reproach. The fatebringer accomplished exactly what he set out to do. He had pissed off Riv, and didnt care about the armor. He had gotten this far without any armor, he figured (somewhat foolishly). Still smiling, Kiph slumped back in a corner, returning to chewing his jerky. He would take whatever the others did not want. He wouldnt admit this of course, but the stuff was Riv's by rights. Unless of course Ceres had other ideas for distribution, the Fatebringer concluded to himself.

"I killed Cancer, I killed Cancer....Hahahahahah, I killed Cancer" Kiph giggled like a lunatic under his breath, adopting a whiny feminine voice.

"You'll need that armor against the G'Kraun. You'll need you're old armor too. And you'll need some balls, Riv. You still got two of those?" Kiph muttered loudly enough for Brevil to here.

Ah, how I have come to love that sense of accomplishment and victory that I get when I pull the wool over the eyes of a clever player character. What DM Triumphs have you had?

Some of mine:1. Finally killing an incredibly powerful, lucky, annoying player's character.2. Finally achieving a TPK (Total Party Kill)3. Finally achieving a TPK using only traps4. Finally working out how to make it so that d**n wizard doesn't steal the spotlight all the d**n time.

All the ears were nearly gone when suddenly Riv recognized one of the names. She had been a sweet heart once, and the first one to bed him, and even though it was long ago it felt as if someone had kicked him in the stomach. Riv momentarily lost his air, his stomach churning, but he managed not to throw up.

Hanya, or Hanna... What a wild girl. She shared my passion, was the first one to show me the joy of things. After we torched mr. Jenkins store you mounted me in the fields...

Images of extreme arousal and ripping of clothes, of climaxing to the death cries of Eliah Jenkins, flashed through Riv's head and for several minutes no one said anything about armour or guns.

Brevil looked up from the fire. He fixed his gaze on the soldier stood before him.

His eyes narrowed, his pale irises unsure of what to make exactly of the man's outburst. For a long while their eyes locked, but Riv saw no anger or hate, just curiosity. Something had made Riv's anger flare, and without knowing more about the man, Brevil dared not speak. Returning his gaze to the fire, leaving the devices at his feet Brevil spoke in a barely audible whisper:

"Kiph. Do not speak of what you know not. The G'krauns are some of the foulest and vilest things in existence. I would know..."

Brevil stoked the fire slowly, his expression indiscernible.

"You...We...May run into thing you haven't seen...Different...G'krauns. I beg you, when we reach Bleakwood, Be on your guard. We musn't get separated at any cost. If...If...I start acting strangely, If I start to become...Agitated. Please, Will someone feed me this."

He carefully took out a small bottle of pills, the content discernible from the noise rather than through the thick brown glass. Setting them out close to Ceres, and giving her a hard look, he carried on.

"One pill should calm me down, at least for a while, if that doesn't work, give me another one and that should sedate me."

"It is absolutely vital that I reach the sub levels of the academy. I'm not sure how far you're all willing to go. If you help me get to the elevator And let me have a weapon, I'll make my way down. Some of you may want to come with me...you would...learn much... about the G'krauns. There is also a particular substance which would be of great help. But if the gods are willing, we'll not need it."

"I understand you have business in Bleakwood as well. I would suggest our first stop is the Academy armoury and Infirmary. If they haven't been looted yet, we would be much safer through bleakwood after a visit there. Then we could recover what you are looking for, and finish our trip going to the academy sublevels. This way, if you wish to leave, you may. Before leaving you should probably go through the car pools. we may find some fuel, if it hasn't already all gone up in flames."

"Hopefully, we'll not remain in bleakwood once the night falls. Ideally, we'd walk into the city at first lights and leave before the sky darkens"

Logged

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."-Philip K. Dick

"Ideally" Ceres spoke out, staring at the dancing flames - so serene were they, so gentle, tame, much unlike those voracious pillars of fire she saw at Bleak Wood, or Neon, recently."I wish any squabbles settled this eve, and those that cannot be solved sat aside until the next time the sun drops 'neath the western ridges" she said, eyeing each of the boys in turn, settling her gaze on Brevil. "I'll keep those pills for you then. But all would be made easier if you did not flip out if possible at all. These G'Kraun are just some flesh-eating monstrosities set loose by irresponsible scientists intent on discovering things man was not meant to know, nothing to be upset about."

She dipped the piece of meat she was roasting over the fire on a flan, and saw the grease soak into the flat bread.

"You, Riv, may want to teach me to fire Cancer's gun - while I won't be a marksman, it may be enough to sweep a corridor clean. I guess all that takes is just holding her steady, and I can do that."

Logged

"Captain, the buttocks are moving from the pink into the red and purple spectrum! We cannot maintain this rate of spanking any longer!"

They noticed Kiph stiffen, then everything began to shake, a deep bass resonating through concrete and flesh alike. A dusty cloud of mortar fell from the ceiling, dusting Riv and Brevil in layer of white. Cold, white light shone through the doorway, as if from a massive source of light outside. Then came a piercing sound, like the wailing of a whale, so cold and haunting. Speech was impossible, a throbbing pain in their skulls, and then more mortar fell, dousing the flames.

A second piercing cry came, as if in response to the first one, and as it abated other sounds; huge engines, myriad thrusters, the whine of machinery. Then a blinding light in the windows facing Bleak Wood. Looking out they saw a spacer vessel bathed in white light. It was starting to take off, but the pilot erred, scraping the stern against the wreckage of a larger vessel, the one they had seen plummet down on Bleak Wood a month earlier. Then it rocketed skywards, and something else came into view.

Airborne, coming from above the radio outpost, was a huge space craft, dwarfing the fleeing vessel, making it look like a bullet beside a rifle. The wailing scream sounded once again, clearly from the huge craft, and Ceres' crew had to hold their ears, lest they lose their hearing.

Falling down on his knees, his hands clutching his ears, Kiph screamed while looking skywards. His words drowned in a cacophony of sound.

***********

Fifteen minutes later

The small craft had escaped and the huge vessel had soared into the sky shortly thereafter. The sky above Bleak Wood was empty now, as if nothing had ever happened. But looking down on their shaking hands, the mortar and bricks everywhere, and noticing the cracks in the concrete, they knew it had not been a dream. They were covered in white powder, someone had even cried, but finally things calmed down. They struggled to make sense of it all, but this turn of events defied all reason.

Brevil Cornell - know roll succeeded:G'Kraun are primarily creatures of the night, but are also active at day. Their night vision gives them an edge at night.

Ceres Argenta - know roll succeeded:Chances are that whatever radiation exists at the crash sight might be deadly. However, the spacer scouting vessel that you saw flee from the alien destroyer took off from a position dangerously close to the crash site, indicating that they weren't overly concerned with radiation. Either they got countermeasures, or it is not too dangerous.

Badblood Kiph - know roll succeeded:The gates are likely watched and just driving into town might be a bad idea. In fact it might be a suicidal idea. The Fatebringer instinct tells Kiph that you should try alternate routes - causing less attention. Once the gunfire starts you will be in enough trouble as it is.

Brevil Cornell - idea roll succeeded: You are all getting into one messed up hellpit. You will need firepower and you will need skill. Unfortunately, only Riv is skilled with guns, though both Kiph and Ceres look like capable in close combat. Since you ain't got a gun, you might as well lend your green targeting laser to Ceres, as she now has that awesome SP90. (gives +40 skill boost)

Brevil Cornell - know roll succeeded:Given your special knowledge of the G'Kraun, you'd say it was likely that they honeycomb the indoors and underground tunnels of Bleak Wood. Most likely Bleak Wood is now a G'Kraun hive, with a seer and possibly a G'Kraun general as well, if you are unlucky. The others believe this not to be possible, as they do not have the necessary intel and believe the G'Kraun to be much more limited in number. The G'Kraun favour dark places to well illuminated ones, so any rooms with windows or other means of bright illumnation are likely less used than the ones plunged in permanent darkness.

Ceres Argenta - know roll succeeded:Brevil mentioned an infirmary in the academy. Such a place must surely have both anti-radiation chems and nanites, as well as healing equipment and ability boosting chems. Sedatives too. Unless it has already been looted that is.

Badblood Kiph - idea roll succeeded:Brevil mentioned an infirmary in the academy. Such a place must surely have poisons or sedatives that can be used in your gun.

Riv Scarelette - idea roll succeeded:Brevil mentioned an infirmary in the academy. A weapon depot as well. Such places must surely contain alcohol, flammables and explosives...

Quick recap:You are in an old radio outpost, with a huge radio tower on the roof. The radio outpost is on the highest peak on Blue Ridge, which overlooks the fallen city of Bleak Wood. You can look down on Bleak Wood, study it, if you so desire. Once you leave the radio station you can be down in Bleak Wood in 20 minutes (by car) or 3-4 hours (on foot).

His hands were trembling. His heart was furiously pumping. And his mind... Well. His mind was an explosion of unanswered questions. But one thing stuck out. One thing that his clinical mind could not let go of:

"You knew that noise, didn't you Kiph?" His voice betrayed his fear and surprise, but he cared little.

"I was right, wasn't I? You know them. Perhaps even better than I. If we make it through bleak wood, we will have to continue our conversation, you and I."

"Never mind this for the moment, I believe we all have more pressing issues to consider."

"Ceres. If you intend to use Cancer's gun, I might be able to give you a little help. Leave the gun with me tonight, and when we reach bleakwood tomorrow, It'll have a laser sight on it."

"Kiph, I understand you have some night vision goggles. Keep them handy. If we get stuck in bleakwood at night, I imagine we'll need them. "

"Riv. You can think me a coward for wearing Cancer's shield, but I'm probably the least able out of all of you if it comes to fighting, and I feel like i'll be needing it"

"I suggest we sleep now. I doubt the spacers will be coming back. We wake up before dawn tomorrow, and we enter the city as the light breaks. When we reach bleakwood, we'll keep to the lit areas, or carry a powerful light source with us. just in case. It could buy us precious seconds."

<ooc>Brevil is not sleeping (not that he could.) And is trying to tinker with the shield and learn more so that he can modify it when the need arises, as well as reviewing what he has in his bag that could help them ("reasonable collection of small vials filled with unfathomable substances"). He is also fitting the laser to Ceres's SP90.</ooc>

Logged

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."-Philip K. Dick

Riv looked up at the scientist, surprised that he cared what he thought.

"Cancer was a coward for more then just wearing that shield - it was what he used it for that makes him a coward. So I don't care if you wear it or not.." How is that different then using your shotgun on those without firearms? - the thought came up unbidden. He ignored it.

"Anyone got anything made from magnesium? Any flares? ", failing that, perhaps powdered aluminum would do the job, though magnesium would be nicer. Much nicer.

A memory struck Riv, and he began to methodically search the truck they liberated from Cancer. He had been promised armor, both for himself and any others, and like as not, Cancer would have stowed them on his getaway vehical. Maybe something else had eluded their prior search.

They refueled the pickup and placed all the jerry cans in the army truck, which they left behind at the radio outpost. Riv's search of the car had yielded nothing, save for a small PDA under the driver's seat. A quick study of the thing revealed preposterous amounts of pre-war porn on the hard disk. No one in the party had ever seen porn before, excepting Brevil who knew a scientist at the academy who was into the thing. After some fifteen minutes of embarrased blushing and outburst like "is that really possible?", they turned it off and Riv put it in his pocket. It had little in the way of software, just a word processor and multimedia capabilities, but it had built in wireless connectivity and with a software upgrade it could come in handy.

Meanwhile Brevil had fitted the green targeting laser and Ceres found there was really nothing to it. Safety off, aim, fire. That was all. With 150 rounds of ammo distributed on three clips, she felt like kicking arse. And when push came to shove, she still had Trolblandir and Firskag.

Seeing Ceres satisfied, Brevil ran a final diagnostic of his personal shield. It would shield everything except the feet and hands, but the battery was old and any damage would drain it. After a certain amount of damage, it would either need new batteries or time to recharge. Then he would be defenseless for a time.

Kiph checked his gear. The Fatebringer Stiletto hung from his belt, the machete likewise. He checked his throwing knives, then tested the grip on the dart gun. He had slept peacefully that night, thanks to Abak Loett and his fine pipe and special tobacco, yet when he awoke he instantly remembered the horrors of last night and had checked everything, twice.

************

The rising sun was but a red rim on the horizon as they cautiously reached the gates. They had left the pickup half a mile (800 m) back and walked on foot to the gates, where Nomad Town used to be. Torn pieces of canvas and broken poles was all that remained now, a testament to the infernal night one month ago. Ceres read some, but not much, radioactivity on her geiger counter when a shrill cry tore through the pre-dawn darkness. Shortly thereafter a chorus of shrill voices returned the cry. Somewhere close a pack of G'Kraun was hunting.

<OOC> Yes, I know it is pre-dawn and you specified dawn. I made the appropriate rolls and you guys arrived before dawn due to altitude differences. Dawn was breaking on the radio outpost peak when you left. Still, you are further down now, and you can see sunshine on the peak you left. But there is darkness in front of the gates, and the sun is just a crimson rim on the horizon. If you wait 15-30 minutes, dawn is upon you.